Selling a house with a swimming pool: does it raise the price and what should you sort out first?

If you want to sell a house with a swimming pool, you will quickly find that the pool does not automatically add value. For one buyer it is the reason to book a viewing, for another an extra cost they would rather not have. How you present the pool, which papers you have ready and which asking price you choose decide whether it works for or against you. Below you can read what to sort out in advance as a seller.

Are you a buyer yourself? You will find the other side of the story in our article on buying a house with a swimming pool in Belgium. This article is only about the seller.

Does a swimming pool raise the sale price of your home?

A pool rarely raises the price by the amount you once invested in it. In Belgium the off-season is long, and many buyers immediately factor in the yearly running costs: water, chemicals, heating, electricity for the pump and maintenance of the filters and liner. That calculation lowers the amount they are willing to pay on top.

Still, there is a clear target group. Families with young children, buyers looking for a villa or detached house in a green municipality and people who often work from home see a well-maintained pool as a plus. In those segments it helps set your home apart from comparable properties. In a terraced house or a home with a small garden the effect is often neutral or even negative, because the pool takes up garden space.

Location and condition weigh the most. A recently renovated, heated pool with a safety cover appeals to buyers. An old pool with a torn liner and an outdated pump is more likely to be seen as a renovation cost. A local estate agent who knows the recent sales in your area can judge whether buyers there will pay for a pool. Through comparing estate agents you can put that question to up to three accredited agents in your region, free of charge.

Permit and planning information

For the buyer and the notary, the first question is: was the pool installed legally? In Flanders, a small pool next to a home is exempt from an environmental permit (omgevingsvergunning) under certain conditions. Those conditions cover, among other things, the surface area, the distance to the plot boundaries and its position behind the house. A larger pool, a roof structure or a pool house often does not qualify. Different rules apply in Brussels and Wallonia.

So find out in advance whether a permit was issued or whether the installation was exempt. Your municipality's planning department can help you with this. At every sale the notary requests planning information from the municipality, and a pool that turns out not to be in order can delay the sale or make the negotiation harder.

Was the pool built without the required permit? Then do not keep quiet about it. Discuss with the notary whether regularisation is possible, or state it clearly in the sale agreement. You can read more about that situation in our article on selling a house without a planning permit for a renovation.

Cadastral income and duty to inform

An in-ground pool is a change to your property that can affect its cadastral income. Such works must be reported to the FPS Finance (General Administration of Patrimonial Documentation). If that was not done at the time, a buyer or the notary may ask questions about it, because cadastral income helps determine the property tax and sometimes the registration duties. How that income is set is explained in our article on calculating cadastral income.

As a seller you also have a duty to inform. You must report defects you know about: a leak, a faulty pump, a sunken edge or a liner that needs replacing. Anyone who knowingly conceals something runs the risk that the buyer claims damages after the sale. More on this in our article on hidden defects when selling a home.

Documents that give buyers confidence

Buyers are mainly afraid of unexpected costs. A clear file takes away most of that fear. So gather the following in advance:

• invoices for the installation and for major works, such as a new liner, pump, filter or heat pump for the water;
• the maintenance log or the invoices from a maintenance company, if you had one;
• manuals and warranty documents for the technical equipment;
• the permit file or confirmation that the installation was exempt;
• an overview of the average consumption per season, if you can reconstruct it from your energy bills.

Also agree in advance on what is included in the sale: the cover sheet or roller shutter cover, the robot cleaner, the cleaning products and possibly the garden furniture around the pool. Put this in the sale agreement, so there is no discussion when the keys are handed over.

Showing your pool at its best, even out of season

A green or covered pool in the photos puts people off. If you are selling in autumn or winter, use photos from the summer, provided they honestly reflect the current condition. State in the listing which month they were taken. At the viewing, show the pool neatly covered and explain how it is winterised.

Make sure the plant room is tidy and accessible. Buyers like to look at the pump and filter, and a clean installation builds trust. Point out the safety features as well: a cover that can carry a child, a fence or an alarm is a real asset for families.

Not sure whether to wait until spring? That depends more on your own planning and the market than on the pool alone. In our article on the best time to sell your home we list the factors.

Setting a realistic asking price

Do not simply add the cost of building the pool to the value of your home. Start from comparable homes in your area, with and without a pool, and see what difference buyers actually paid there. Take the age and condition of the pool into account. A pool that will need a new liner or pump within a few years counts for less.

An asking price pushed too high because of the pool means your home stays on the market longer, and that later works against you in the negotiation. So start with an objective valuation. A free valuation gives you a first indication, and a local estate agent can refine it based on recent sales in your street or neighbourhood.

ImmoMakelaarVergelijker.be puts you in touch with up to three BIV-accredited estate agents in your region, free and without obligation. That way you can compare their valuation, their approach to homes with a pool and their fees before you make a choice.

In conclusion

A pool can help your home sell faster to the right buyer, but it rarely raises the price by what it cost you. Make sure the permit and cadastral income are in order, report known defects, gather invoices and maintenance records and choose an asking price based on comparable sales. Want to know how agents in your region value your home with a pool? Compare up to three accredited agents for free and choose the one that best suits your sale.